"I know, for myself, what I love about her is her authenticity, her honesty, her willingness—despite the hard—the challenge that is love," Aduba told reporters. "And even existing authentically as herself, she still risks it, despite the challenge that takes to be that much herself. I love that about her; she is entirely, purely herself."

Aduba, who nearly quit acting before landing OITNB, also praised the advice her mother gave her before she went to New York. "'Uzo, just work hard,'" she recalls her mother saying. "'Don't know what will come from this thing, but I know if you go there, you have to work hard. I haven't heard of nothing coming from hard work.'"